In the wake of the Palestinian Authority rocket attack on his city, a spokesperson for the city of Sderot, Yossi Cohen, told Israel Radio today that the government's "disengagement" plan for Gaza is making Sderot into a frontline border town. Cohen warned that today the rockets made it to Sderot, but tomorrow they will reach Ashkelon, a seaside city to the north of Gaza, as the enemy improves its technology.
On behalf of the head of the Rabbinical Council of Judea, Samaria and Gaza (Yesha), Rabbi Dov Lior, the Council's secretary said today: "The victims of the latest attacks are bloody evidence of the results of the defeatist spirit spread by the prime minister and his supporters, of running away and disengaging. This spirit causes the enemy to raise his head. The strength of the nation of Israel is its uncompromising self-respect; therefore, the IDF must be allowed to wipe out Arab terrorism wherever it is found, and the divisive disengagement plan must be abandoned at once."
Former government minister and head of the National Union party Avigdor Lieberman warned, "If the prime minister's disengagement plan is carried out, Kassam rocket attacks will be the lot of cities from Ashkelon to Ofakim and will become a daily occurrence." Lieberman called on the government, from which he was forced when he objected to Prime Minister Sharon's plans, to reconsider the unilateral withdrawal.
In reaction to last night's subterranean explosives attack on the Orchan military base in Gaza, the mayor of Gush Katif, Avner Shimoni, had strong words for Israel's Supreme Court as well as the Prime Minister. "The attack emanated from a building we requested be destroyed a long time ago - but whose demolition was halted by the Supreme Court," said Shimoni, adding, "Escalations such as these are a direct result of Ariel Sharon's plan, and as he moves ahead with it, we can expect such attacks to escalate as well."
The Yesha (Judea, Samaria and Gaza) Council blamed Prime Minister Sharon's Gaza withdrawal plan as well: "After this devastating attack, it is obvious that the dire warnings from the IDF Chief of Staff cannot be ignored: that withdrawal from Gush Katif leads to an invigorated terrorist infrastructure and renewed attacks."
In a radio interview, Knesset Member and National Religious party chairman Effie Eitam warned: "Whoever thinks that those tunnels will not cross [under] the fence to the Israeli side the minute [the terrorists] have freedom of movement along the fence is mistaken. It is possible to dig a tunnel of dozens of meters in length, 20 meters down, under the fence and find terrorists inside the state of Israel.... I estimate that in the next stage [the terrorists] will dig tunnels into the communities [in Gush Katif]."
MK Eitam also warned that the withdrawal from Gaza and Samaria will lead to one conclusion by "any beginning terrorist inside the State of Israel - that now it is time to begin [terrorist pressure] in the Galilee and in the Negev. It is clear and simple.... The infrastructure for subversive activities against Israel from inside Israel is already in place."
Eitam concluded: "This government must be replaced.... In its current constellation and with its current policy, it is beyond repair."
MK Shaul Yahalom, also of the NRP, called on Prime Minister Sharon to cancel what Yahalom termed his "retreat plan". "The way Sharon is making us run away with our tail between our legs encourages the terrorists to carry out such brazen attacks," said Yahalom.
MK Ehud Yatom (Likud) called upon Mr. Sharon to abandon his disengagement plan and to instead expel Yasser Arafat from Israel.
MK Matan Vilnai of Labor said that while the army is successful in fighting terrorists, it cannot fight the motivation for terrorism, which includes those same military successes. Instead, Vilnai suggested coordination with the terrorists in Gaza, "including the Hamas."
On behalf of the head of the Rabbinical Council of Judea, Samaria and Gaza (Yesha), Rabbi Dov Lior, the Council's secretary said today: "The victims of the latest attacks are bloody evidence of the results of the defeatist spirit spread by the prime minister and his supporters, of running away and disengaging. This spirit causes the enemy to raise his head. The strength of the nation of Israel is its uncompromising self-respect; therefore, the IDF must be allowed to wipe out Arab terrorism wherever it is found, and the divisive disengagement plan must be abandoned at once."
Former government minister and head of the National Union party Avigdor Lieberman warned, "If the prime minister's disengagement plan is carried out, Kassam rocket attacks will be the lot of cities from Ashkelon to Ofakim and will become a daily occurrence." Lieberman called on the government, from which he was forced when he objected to Prime Minister Sharon's plans, to reconsider the unilateral withdrawal.
In reaction to last night's subterranean explosives attack on the Orchan military base in Gaza, the mayor of Gush Katif, Avner Shimoni, had strong words for Israel's Supreme Court as well as the Prime Minister. "The attack emanated from a building we requested be destroyed a long time ago - but whose demolition was halted by the Supreme Court," said Shimoni, adding, "Escalations such as these are a direct result of Ariel Sharon's plan, and as he moves ahead with it, we can expect such attacks to escalate as well."
The Yesha (Judea, Samaria and Gaza) Council blamed Prime Minister Sharon's Gaza withdrawal plan as well: "After this devastating attack, it is obvious that the dire warnings from the IDF Chief of Staff cannot be ignored: that withdrawal from Gush Katif leads to an invigorated terrorist infrastructure and renewed attacks."
In a radio interview, Knesset Member and National Religious party chairman Effie Eitam warned: "Whoever thinks that those tunnels will not cross [under] the fence to the Israeli side the minute [the terrorists] have freedom of movement along the fence is mistaken. It is possible to dig a tunnel of dozens of meters in length, 20 meters down, under the fence and find terrorists inside the state of Israel.... I estimate that in the next stage [the terrorists] will dig tunnels into the communities [in Gush Katif]."
MK Eitam also warned that the withdrawal from Gaza and Samaria will lead to one conclusion by "any beginning terrorist inside the State of Israel - that now it is time to begin [terrorist pressure] in the Galilee and in the Negev. It is clear and simple.... The infrastructure for subversive activities against Israel from inside Israel is already in place."
Eitam concluded: "This government must be replaced.... In its current constellation and with its current policy, it is beyond repair."
MK Shaul Yahalom, also of the NRP, called on Prime Minister Sharon to cancel what Yahalom termed his "retreat plan". "The way Sharon is making us run away with our tail between our legs encourages the terrorists to carry out such brazen attacks," said Yahalom.
MK Ehud Yatom (Likud) called upon Mr. Sharon to abandon his disengagement plan and to instead expel Yasser Arafat from Israel.
MK Matan Vilnai of Labor said that while the army is successful in fighting terrorists, it cannot fight the motivation for terrorism, which includes those same military successes. Instead, Vilnai suggested coordination with the terrorists in Gaza, "including the Hamas."